In the field of domestic appliances, and in particular domestic cooking appliances, stainless metal upper surface panels which include, for example, burners mounted therein, also include a control panel which is mounted on the surface and typically permanently secured to the surface. The control panel can include control mechanisms/electronics underneath the surface, with openings in the panel for actuators to extend therethrough, and optionally with knobs attached to the actuators (such as for controlling operation of the burners). One problem with this type of arrangement is that if the control panel, which may include a glass control mount, is damaged, or if the stainless surface panel top is damaged, both items would have to be discarded due to the fact that the control panel is tightly adhered to the surface panel. This results in unnecessary waste.
One alternative prior art system provides a device and method of attaching a face plate assembly to a domestic appliance. The face plate includes supporting legs on a back surface of the face plate which fit within a channel created on the back of the surface upon which the face plate is to be mounted. However, a problem with such an arrangement is that in order to be easily assembled, the tolerances are wide and complex arrangements with screws or other securing devices are required to keep the face plate assembly immovable against the surface upon which it is mounted.
In accordance with the present invention, these problems with the prior art control panel mounting arrangements are avoided by providing a domestic appliance, a control panel, and mounting bracket for the control panel which allows ease of assembly and replacement of individual parts without requiring disposing of the entire assembly when one or more parts of the assembly are damaged.